This invention relates to securing devices or anchoring devices for holding in place an intravenous cannula or catheter and the connection thereto.
There has been a continuing problem in the field of medical treatment with respect to administering intravenous medicinal fluids such as drip feed, anaesthetics and T. P. N. (Total Parenteral Nutrition) through tubing to an intravenous cannula or catheter. It is necessary to hold the cannula connector or connecting portion firmly in place on the patient's skin in order to prevent the cannula from being displaced or moved as a result of movement by the patient or movement of the flexible plastic tube that is connected to the line connector. Improper or inadvertent movement of the cannula can cause undesirable vein breakdown known as thrombophlebitis, requiring the placement of a new cannula at a different site on the patient. The replacement of the cannula can cause additional pain and suffering for the patient.
A well known and common means for securing the cannula connector and the cannula at the puncture site is to apply hypoallergenic plastic tape over the connector often in "chevron" configuration. It can be applied over the usual site dressing, commonly a product called "Opsite".
Various attempts have been made to develop and produce a better means for securing the cannula and its tube connector in place at the puncture site. One such known device is that taught in U.S. Pat. No. 5,413,562 issued May 9, 1995 to J. L. Swauger. This stabilizing fitting has a unitary pliable plastic body that has a centrally located catheter hub/syringe body retainer and two outwardly disposed support members, each of which is covered on its upper surface by hook type Velcro fastener. In order to hold this fitting in place on a person's wrist, a separate Velcro strap must be employed. This patent specification teaches away from the use of skin-contacting adhesive for securing purposes.
More recent U.S. Pat. No. 5,827,230 issued Oct. 27, 1998 to Venetec International Inc. describes a catheter anchoring system that includes a flexible, adhesive coated anchor pad which supports both a flexible tube clip and a retainer for the catheter needle. The retainer includes an upwardly open groove configured to receive an adaptor for the catheter and having a plurality of lateral slots, each sized to capture a radially extending annular rib of the adaptor to prevent the adaptor from sliding within the channel. Unfortunately, this device is reasonably complex in its operation and it requires the use of the special adaptor, including a coupling section with one or more annular ribs, this coupling section possibly including a leur lock type fitting.
One disadvantage of the known prior art securing devices is that with extended use on a patient they can create skin initation or rashes, either due to the creation of pressure points on the skin which can be quite sensitive or because they block off air from the skin for an extended period of time. It would be advantageous if the securing device for the catheter and its connector is constructed so as to reduce or minimize the amount of contact with the patient's skin and so as to enable air to pass along and be in contact with the skin.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved anchoring device for a catheter or cannula that is relatively simple to use and that can be made at a reasonable cost.
It is a further object of the invention to provide an anchoring device for a catheter that is both capable of securely holding the catheter in place while reducing the amount of discomfort for the user of the device.